Rivalry, Expansionism, and the Future of the International System

This chapter revisits the main thesis of the book—capitalism is an expansionist system fraught with risks of violent confrontation. History should guide us to manage these conflicts effectively and draw lessons from them. Barring major armed or nuclear conflicts (flashpoints of such incidents are many), the world will perhaps converge towards multipolarity whereby the economic and political powers of the BRICS nations are likely to increase at the expense of Western Europe and the United States. This process will be accelerated by the ongoing public health crisis and the global economic crisis. The international trade and financial systems are also likely to change. Whether this transition will take place in a peaceful and orderly manner is an open question. Given the dangers of a nuclear-armed great power conflict, it is likely that a Thucydides’ Trap would be avoided this time. ‘The Coronavirus pandemic will forever alter the world order. The United States must protect its citizens from disease while starting the urgent work of planning for a new epoch’. Henry A. Kissinger (2020)